# Chapter 962: Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool
Several ancient jade pieces were dull in color, their luster worn away by the passage of immense time. They bore blood stains, said to have formed from prolonged contact with corpses, absorbing the blood of the dead.
Ye Fan held them in his hands, turning them over. Though lacking luster, they were warm and smooth to the touch, radiating a gentle heat. These were ancient jade books, each one priceless beyond measure!
Without question, these were national treasures. Each piece would cause a sensation if it appeared in the world. The jade blocks were densely inscribed with oracle bone script.
The several ancient jade pieces each had different colors—some yellow as gold, some red as blood, some white as mutton fat. Their luster was restrained, as if covered in a layer of dust, bearing mottled marks of time. They were clearly ancient artifacts.
There were six pieces in total, obtained by successive masters of the Ten Thousand Demon Valley through endless effort. They had been retrieved from ancient hanging coffins, spanning from Sichuan to Wuyi Mountain, where countless hanging coffins had been opened. The two oldest pieces were personally sought out by the first generation valley master, that ancient demon god of yore.
Ye Fan held the ancient jade pieces up to the sunlight, carefully studying every character. The script resembled birds, beasts, fish, and insects—extremely difficult to decipher. He only managed to grasp the general meaning.
As the Third Valley Master had said, the ancient jade books found in the hanging coffins recorded a shocking secret, vaguely pointing toward an Earth Immortal.
"Red Pine Daoist possessed a piece of immortal bone with a partial terrain map. He came to Sichuan to search, personally opening tens of thousands of hanging coffins, yet fell short of success, never obtaining what he sought. Without the guidance of that immortal bone fragment, we took a more direct approach—traveling the world, opening one ancient hanging coffin after another, searching for what he wanted," the Third Valley Master said.
These six ancient jade pieces were their ultimate harvest, vaguely mentioning an Earth Immortal without specifying where—utterly mysterious, with no indication of location.
"Based on this, you hope to find what even Red Pine Daoist failed to discover?" Ye Fan asked.
"We try our best, regardless of the outcome," the Third Valley Master said. Each generation of valley masters had been persistent, never giving up.
An Earth Immortal—since they were already immortals, they must possess unfathomable divine abilities. Obtaining everything from such a being was no simple matter. Ye Fan carved out the terrain map from the immortal bone fragment and showed it to the Third Valley Master, asking if he knew where it was.
"I've never seen terrain like this. It should be a region trapped by some ancient formation, invisible in the current world."
"You said that five hundred years ago, an old valley master made a startling discovery. What did that refer to?" Ye Fan asked.
"He only said he finally understood, then quickly passed away. Before dying, he pointed to a place, but none of us could enter," the Third Valley Master said.
"What place?" Ye Fan asked.
"Red Pine Daoist's enlightenment ground—the Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool," the Third Valley Master said with a solemn expression. That old valley master had possessed heaven-defying magical power, transcending the mundane, and had deeply studied formations. Yet in the end, he barely managed to escape with his last breath.
The old valley master only had time to indicate that what Red Pine Daoist had discovered, combined with what successive valley masters had tirelessly sought, might lead to the Earth Immortal!
"Is there a place called Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool on Mount Shu?" Ye Fan asked in surprise, having never heard of it.
The Third Valley Master nodded, saying it was where Red Pine Daoist had practiced swordsmanship and sought enlightenment after passing down his teachings. No one could enter it now.
Ye Fan considered for a moment. Through his spiritual fluctuation sensing, he could tell the Third Valley Master wasn't lying, so he decided to give it a try.
"Take me to see it."
The Third Valley Master had revealed everything precisely because he wanted to borrow Ye Fan's strength. He had long recognized that Ye Fan was no ordinary person, possibly comparable to the great cultivators of antiquity. Moreover, his name had reminded him of events from over twenty years ago. After retrieving and comparing old records, he was even more shocked, realizing Ye Fan was one of those who had disappeared riding the Nine Dragons Coffin.
The Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool was naturally no ordinary place. Unknown to the current world, it was protected by ancient formations, so that even birds could not enter or leave.
That very day, Ye Fan and the Third Valley Master left the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, heading straight for a mountain range within Sichuan.
Mount Emei rose in layered peaks, majestic in terrain, with divine and beautiful scenery, radiating countless forms of grandeur.
So-called Mount Shu was the collective name for the mountain ranges around Emei. Here, ancient trees touched the sky, clouds obscured bridges, ravines were deep and valleys secluded, countless waterfalls cascaded, and the sound of flowing water murmured.
"There's too much worldly energy here," Ye Fan said with a frown, not believing there was an Immortal Sword lineage.
"Nothing to be done. This place has become a scenic spot now, with too many tourists. The cultivators have long since withdrawn," the Third Valley Master said.
Mount Emei was one of China's four great Buddhist mountains, the bodhimanda of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, attracting many visitors daily.
The Third Valley Master said, "I must say, Buddhism was very farsighted. Before the Age of Dharma Decline arrived, they began spreading their teachings eastward, using many of our Central Land's sacred mountains for cultivation, ensuring their lineage continued uninterrupted. Meanwhile, India no longer believes in Buddhism."
"This is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva's bodhimanda. Let me see if any ancient sages still exist here." Ye Fan stood in midair, sweeping out his powerful divine sense, but detected nothing.
"True Buddhist cultivators have already withdrawn from Mount Emei. Five hundred years ago, that old valley master was gifted with heavenly talent. Having once consumed a divine pill left by an ancient demon god, he cultivated for eight hundred years and entered the Immortal Platform Secret Realm. Yet in the end, he met his end here."
Ye Fan indicated he understood. The sword energy here was extremely fierce, clanging and ringing as if millions of heavenly swords were sounding in unison, shaking heaven and earth!
The clanging sword energy could not yet harm him, but he had to be cautious. If he climbed to the mountain peak, there might truly be great danger.
"Brother Ye, be careful!" the Third Valley Master called out loudly as he retreated.
Ye Fan nodded, walking forward step by step. Approaching this mountain, he saw it was barren of vegetation, smooth as a sword blade. The killing aura had condensed into tangible form, capable of severing one's divine soul.
Little Pine clutched his clothes nervously, worried for him, insisting on accompanying him. His little heart pounded wildly, looking as if he were prepared to die.
"No problem," Ye Fan comforted him, patting the little purple creature's head.
"Clang," "Clang"...
The moment Ye Fan approached, ten thousand heavenly swords sounded in unison, splitting the clouds, divine radiance blotting out the sun, severing past and present through the void.
He activated the Stride Art, transforming into a beam of light, darting through the gaps between sword beams, rushing toward the peak, evading one sharp sword qi after another.
"This isn't a killing formation—this is the supreme sword intent of that era!" Ye Fan was horrified. Just how powerful had Red Pine Daoist been? Countless ages had passed, yet the sword intent he left behind still remained.
A sword-washing ground, a sword-enlightenment ground!
This was a divine place. If one could dwell here long-term and withstand this sword intent, they might indirectly obtain his teachings—a priceless legacy.
Red Pine Daoist had been merciful at heart. Though sword energy crisscrossed this place, it had been purged of killing intent. It wasn't destructive; otherwise, no one in the world could approach.
Ye Fan ascended the Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool, comprehending a true essence of the sword dao. He quickly calmed his mind, not resisting but instead accommodating this great dao.
Ahead lay a sword lake, clear and bright, emitting countless strands of sword light as if a peerless immortal sword lay buried within.
"This is the Immortal Sword Heavenly Pool..." Ye Fan murmured. He immediately understood that Red Pine Daoist's true supreme teachings lay here.
His gaze sharpened, and he instantly understood why the Ten Thousand Demon Valley master from five hundred years ago had spoken as he did—because he too had discovered what Red Pine Daoist had left behind.
In this Age of Dharma Decline, faith power was insufficient. I beseech all Great Emperors to grant their blessings, to cast their votes of support. If we don't receive them, we will soon be surpassed.